R.I.P. Bob Marley 1945 - 1981

 

32 years ago the great Bob Marley passed away; may he rest in peace!

 

 

Love u Mr Marley

If you don't like gay-marriage, don't marry a gay person ~ Whoopi Goldberg

 

Support gay-marriage!!

AZEALIA BANKS - 212 FT. LAZY JAY

Da Bluess

Watch doctor Heathcliff Huxtable explain his son, Theo Huxtable, how to get the love of his life back. According to doctor Huxtable saying sorry isn't enough, you've got to say sorry with some blues!! Heathcliff and Theo are both known from the television show 'The Cosby Show'. The show aired from 1984 until 1992. The show's about an upper class African-American family. They live in Brooklyn, New York.

The show is filled with humor, love, fantasy and music. Especially the music plays a very important role in the show. Stevie Wonder, B.B. King and Miriam Makeba have been in the show and great songs from Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, James Brown and Ray Charles have been promoted in the show. Other important aspects of the show is freedom, civil rights (Martin Luther King) and equality. In my opinion the show is definitely worth watching!!

Find out more on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cosby_Show

(B.B. King)

 

(Stevie Wonder)

 

(Cliff Huxtable)

 

(Top L to R: Elvin, Sondra, Cliff, Clair, Vanessa

Middle L to R: Rudy, Denise, Martin, Olivia

Bottom: Theo)

Tattoo inspiration

 

 

Free Blakey my fella

It took me 4 weeks to read the biography of Amy Winehouse written by her father Mitch Winehouse. I bought the book with some money I got for my birthday 2 months ago. I bought the book, because I wanted to know Amy a bit better. I mean, I knew the music she made, but I never knew how her life really was. What was the reason she did drugs? Why did she drink so much? Why does everybody talk so negative about her? Who is Blake? What are her songs about?

 

Mitch did a very good job! He wrote a biography about his daughter, about an innovative jazz singer and about an addict. Some may say that the biography isn't written unbiased, because Mitch is her father, but I don't think that's the case. I think no one could have done a better job (expect Amy) than Mitch. In my opinion Mitch told nothing but the truth.

 

The biography both starts and ends with the loss of his daughter. I knew exactly where I was, when I found out that Amy had passed away. I was in my room surfing on the internet, when I saw on twitter that Amy was trending topic, so I clicked on it and I read the first tweet: "Amy Winehouse passed away, RIP Amy". I was shocked and very sad!

 

 

 

The first 3 chapters are about Amy's youth. How she first started to play music and go to a special school where she was taught how to become a musician. The other chapters are about 'Frank', 'Back to Black', drugs, alcohol, love and the influence of the media. Of course a lot more is told, but that are the main topics in the book. Her life wasn't one big negative ride. She had a lot of fun as well. She had a great sense of humor, went on holiday, won Grammy's and Ivor Novello Awards & loved a lot of people.

 

What stroke me the most was (of course) the relationship with her ex-husband Blake. I never thought love would be so strong. Amy definitely taught me that you don't choose with whom you fall in love with. She loved Blake and probably still does, even though he introduced her to harddrugs. I am very glad that Amy did find a way to get clean and that she didn't die, because of harddrugs (she was clean since 2008).

 

Amy couldn't perform at the Grammy's, because she wouldn't get a visa. So she performed in London with a live-stream connection.

 

 

I am very glad that I took the time and read the biography. Mitch showed me how her life looked like, how powerful love is and what a talent Amy was. I appreciated her music very much, but now I have read the book, I appreciate her music even more. Amy sang the truth. "Back to Black" is one of the best albums of the twenty-first century, without a doubt!

 

She will always be in my mind. Her music will never die. Her message will be heard.

 

 

This is my favourite song! I could listen to it 24/7.

I'm Muhammad Ali cause I can sting like a bee...

Music cocktail

M.I.A. made a mixtape of Matangi for the Kenzo fashionshow and I can honestly say that it is close to perfect!! It's tough to describe why the mixtape is close to perfect, but the description that fits the best is probably 'a music cocktail'. She is a one of a kind music artist. Her last album 'MAYA' was pretty awesome, so I can't wait to hear her complete new album! It will be released on April 15, 2013. But for now, enjoy the mixtape on one of the following sites:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#miauk/mia-matangi-mix-for-kenzo/s-a7kfp
Official homepage: http://www.matangimixtape.com/

The perfect voice to sing Jazz

"If I died tomorrow, I'd be a happy girl."

Alaaaaaaaaane

This is definitely the feelgood song of my life! I'm so happy that I was able to find it again :) It really doesn't matter that I don't understand a thing of what he's singing, because the feeling is just right! Relax and enjoy..

Survivors!

 

Don't tell me you forgot who these wonderful women are?! It has been a while ago, so you don't have to be really ashamed. But if you needed to guess, it wouldn't be that difficult, right? In 2000 Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Roland and Michelle Williams decided to form a R&B girl group named Destiny's Child. Their collaboration lasted until 2005. They won many pirzes and awards, but that's obvious. They sold over 50 million records and have been the most successful girl group ever! One of my favourite songs is 'Survivor'. It's a strong and powerful song. I think many people can relate to the song.   

 



I'm a survivor
I'm not gon give up
I'm not gon stop
I'm gon work harder
I'm a survivor
I'm gonna make it
I will survive
Keep on survivin'

 

Check out their hompage: http://www.destinyschild.com/home where you can find their new album 'Love Songs', a collection of their most romantic songs. You can also listen to the new song 'Nuclear'. I don't really like the song, but I guess I have to listen it several times to judge it without prejudice.  



 

Lets honour some amazing survivors throughout the years:

 

Serena and Venus Williams

 

Nelson Mandela

 

Bob Marley

 

Whoopi Goldberg

 

Martin Luther King

 

Oprah Winfrey



 



Same Love, best lyrics of 2013 so far!

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

(ft. Mary Lambert)

 

When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay
‘Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight
I told my mom tears rushing down my face
She’s like “Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k tripping,”
Yeah, I guess she had a point, didn’t she?
Bunch of stereotypes all in my head.
I remember doing the math like, “Yeah, I’m good at little league”
A preconceived idea of what it all meant
For those that liked the same sex
Had the characteristics
The right wing conservatives think it’s a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing god, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don’t know
And god loves all his children, is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don’t know

And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
I can't change
Even if I try
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately
"Man, that’s gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we’re saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don’t have acceptance for ‘em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It’s the same hate that’s caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It’s human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren’t anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that’s not important
No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it

And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

We press play, don’t press pause
Progress, march on
With the veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
Till the day that my uncles can be united by law
When kids are walking ‘round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are
And a certificate on paper isn’t gonna solve it all
But it’s a damn good place to start
No law is gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever god you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it’s all the same love
About time that we raised up

And I can’t change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
I can't change
Even if I try
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is patient
Love is kind
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I‘m not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
Love is kind


Pictures & Time?

(06.08.1928 - 22.02.1987)

 

One of my favourite quotes is one by Andy Warhol: "The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do". I don't know much about Andy Warhol, but I've heard he was a great artist! He was the king of the visual art movement known as pop art during the 1960s. People also identify him as the silver prince of the pop. 

Black List

In about three weeks (15th March) radio 6 airs its Black List of 2013. Radio 6 is the Dutch radiostation that plays soul and jazz music. You can create your own Black List on their hompage, www.radio6.nl Here are a few artists of my Black List:

Solomon Burke - Don't give up on me


Amy Winehouse - Back to black


Michael Kiwanuka - Home again


Nina Simone - Feeling good


Not a bad selection right? That is, if you like jazz & soul music. And there's of course a huge difference between the music from the past and the music nowadays! To check out my whole Black List visit this page: http://mijnzwartelijst.radio6.nl/stemmen/de-lijst-van/0b33ed9138443397189dbf25f2cf3e3a.html Perhaps it will inspire you to listen to other music, music you're not used to listen ;)

We don't want no war no more!

The voice of an angel

I should be very ashamed! I missed the day to commemorate the voice of an angel. Last Monday, exactly one year ago, Whitney Houston had passed away. I really don't understand how I could forget that, because I had written it in my journal. I love her music as well, so it really surprises me. Anyway, I hope you can forgive me and although it has been six days ago, I want to honour her beautiful voice, her perfect smile and her passion. May you rest in peace Whitney Housten, where ever you are!

This is one of my favourite songs of her. It's so energetic and in this video her smile is to die for :) This song also reminds me to celebrate life more often.

Serena Back on #1

 

 

Even if you are no Serena Williams fan, this will definitely hit you. She is a fabulous woman. Ever since I started reading a biography about her, I understand her better. I understand her emotions, her behavior, her everything.

 

(Doha)

 

I don't know if you remember her last match at Roland Garros. A French woman defeated her in the first round, yes in the bloody first round! Serena won the first set and could win the second set in the tiebreak. She had 5 matchpoints or so, but the crowd started to behave like wild animals and Serena lost the second set. During the break Serena couldn't control her emotions any longer and started to cry. I knew why she cried or at least I could relate to the situation. In the past she and Venus Williams both participated in the same tournament (I don't remember the name of the tournament), but at a given moment Venus couldn't play anymore. Everybody was convinced that this was all set up, so Serena could win the tournament easily. So the next match Serena played, the whole crowd was against her, they were yelling at her, making much noise when she was about to serve and the worst thing was that the crowd celebrated every mistake she was making. Pretty said if you ask me. (I believe it was Kim Clijsters who defeated her)   

 

I strongly believe that she was thinking of that match during that break at the Roland Garros first round match. I don't know it for sure and perhaps I'm completely wrong, but I believe so. No matter how successful Serena will be in the future, I will always be a huge fan of her!!

 

 

 

 

Now why did she become #1 again? In Doha she defeated Petra Kvitova in the QF's. I heared that the match was so amazing. Kvitova won the first set with 6-3 I believe, but Serena took the second set with 6-3 and the third set with 7-5. The third set must have been a thriller, because Serena was down 1-4!! Anyway, I'm just so glad she's back at the top again :)

 

 

 

 



Valentine's Day

For the lovers:

 

For everyone else:

 

 

Just for the record, I belong to 'everyone else', haha! I'm not against Valentine's Day, but I think the day has lost it's symbolic value. It's all about the gifts nowadays.

 



 

Riddle time..

 

Yesterday I saw this movie called '16 blocks'. It's about a police officer (played by Bruce Willis) who has to chaperone a prisoner to court. Sounds like an easy job, however there are people who want to kill the prisoner, because he's an eyewitness as well. Those people are no ordinary people, they are police officers to be precisely. A few police officers of the NYPD are playing nasty games and don't want anybody to know about that. So what seemed like an easy job, became a hell of a job.

It isn't a very special movie to be honest. Not that I didn't like it, but it's just another actionmovie ;) The hidden message wasn't bad though. I kind of liked it. The prisoner talked a lot in the movie. About anything. He really couldn't shut up. When he first met Bruce Willis he asked him this question:

You are driving in a car and you see 3 people standing at a corner:

1) An old sick lady
2) Your best friend who saved your life once
3) The men/women of your dreams

You want to pick up all three of them, but you only have room for one person, who do you choose?

The prisoner said it's a riddle to see what kind of person you are, how you think about life. I immediately chose to pick up my best friend, because I thought that would be the right answer. At the end of the movie Bruce Willis gave the solution, which surprised me ;)

  

Poemcollection

It takes a while, but eventually the hard work pays off :) For several weeks I'm trying to finish my book filled with my poems and my point of view towards society, life in general, mankind, emotions, etc. I didn't want it to be just another ordinary poemcollection, so I decided to write a letter to every poem. Each letter is addressed to a person I feel connected with. That could be a friend, a family member or a famous person like Martin Luther King. To introduce my book and to sketch an idea of what the content will look like, I wrote my first letter to The President. And it goes like this:

Dear Mr. President,
 

I’m writing you this letter to announce myself, because I want the whole world to know that it is my time to shine. The time has finally come to honor me as a person and to give in to my feelings. I want to be proud of myself and I can only reach that goal by listening to my inner self. I have never done this before, to give a big shout-out to myself. I’m new at this, to be honest with you.
 

So why did I choose to write my very first letter about me to the President? Well, it’s because everybody knows the President, but the President himself only knows a few. And I don’t want to be one in a million. I want people to know who I am even though that’s the toughest thing to do, to welcome people in your life.
 

Now I have welcomed the President in my life, I feel confident enough to tell my story to my people. To the people I feel connected with. If the greatest person on earth knows me, they should know me too.   

 

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Ramai

 

 

I hope I'll finish the book in the next several weeks!

Close your eyes and think of something nice..

 

 

Two weeks ago I went to the movies with a friend of mine to see 'The Impossible'. The movie is based on a true story about the tsunami of 2004. A family is enjoying their vacation when suddenly a massive amount of water hits the shore of Thailand.

 

 

 

The family gets seperated by the tusnami. The mother and the oldest son are trying to fight the water, while the father and the other two sons are searching for help and of course their other two missing family members. I must say that the actors acted very well. I could hear the fear in their voices. The movie is so incredible, because the director managed to make the tsunami and situation very believable. I definitely recommend this movie! And if it's all too much to take in, close your eyes and think of something nice.



 

And we build up castles in the sky and in the sand. Design our own world ain't nobody understands.

King Roger Federer

Yes, that's right, even though Federer didn't make it through the semi-finals, he's still a king to me! Unfortunately I couldn't see the whole match, because I needed to be present in college. I'm just very glad that Federer made it difficult for Murray to beat him. It took Murray 5 sets to beat Federer.

(Federer vs Murray)

When I analyse the Australian Open journey from Federer, I think he has all the right to be very proud of himself. He had a pretty tough draw in almost every's opinoin. In the second round he faced Nikolay Davydenko, who he could beat in only 3 sets. In the third round Federer faced Bernard Tomic. A very talented young tennisplayer from Australia, so the crowd had all reason to cheer for him. Federer kept his head in the game and could beat Tomic in 3 sets.

In the fourth round Federer faced Milos Raonic, a very talented young tennisplayer as well and don't forget to mention a strong service. Again Federer only needed 3 sets to win his match. We all know what happened in the quarter finals against Tsonga. This was the first big challenge for Federer and luckily he won in 5 sets.

(Federer vs Tomic)

We can't deny it. Roger Federer isn't the youngest anymore. Please don't get me wrong, I don't judge him for his loss against Murray, not at all. I'm just saying that it's kind of selfish of us to expect that Federer is going to win every Grand Slam's and tournaments. Another fact is that, throughout the years, his competitors got better and better. Djokovic was alway the runner-up and number 3 of the world, just like Murray was always a semifinalist and number 4 of the world. Nowadays those two tennisplayers rule the tennisindustry. And Federer is the one who has to keep up with everybody. Am I glad that Federer isn't number 1 anymore? No, of course not, but I'm gald to see how the tennisindustry is evolving. It's only a matter of time before the 'new kids' are the numbers 1,2 and 3 of the world, like Ranoic and Tomic.

(Raonic vs Federer)

In short, Roger Federer will always be my king, thé tennislegend and gentleman. I mean, everywhere he plays, he's got tons of fans cheering for him. He even got a standing ovation when he lost against Murray. That just indicates how beloved he is. I hope Federer is able to play tennis as long as he wants to and that he knows that the Roger Federer Fans will cherish him forever, including me! Oh and by the way, Federer won all the tiebreaks he was forced to play in this edition of the Australian Open, just so you know ;)

Swiss endurance the sequel

Pfff, this morning was really nerve-racking! The match between Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lastet over 3,5 hours. Federer immediately broke Tsonga in the openingsgame, so I was pretty excited and had much confidence in Federer. Unfortunately Tsonga broke back and the first set ended up in a tiebreak. In the tiebreak the same thing happened as in the first game: Federer made the first mini-break. A few points later he also took the first set :)

 

 

In the second set Tsonga played a lot better than in the first set. Not that he played bad in the first set, he actually played very well during the whole match! Federer's service wasn't convincing to me in the second set. You could feel that Tsonga was going for the second set. He was able to break Federer at 3-3 and took the second set with a 6-4 win over Federer.

 

 

 

 

Both were playing very well in the third set. Nobody was able to dominate the match. Federer was serving better than in the second set and Tsonga had these amazing shots. He managed to play the ball right on the lines and in the corners of each side. So the the second tiebreak of the match was a fact and Federer was again too strong for Tsonga.

 

 

 

 

Watching the fourth set wasn't very easy for me, because Federer played kind of clumsy every now and then. It was 1-1 and Tsonga was serving the third game. Eventually Federer got 3 breakpoints. I don't know how, but somehow Tsonga made those breakpoints disappear and the score became 2-1 in his favour. In the sixth game he broke Federer and was able to win the set with 6-3.

 

 

 

 

I couldn't see the beginning of the fifth set, because I needed to walk the dog. So when I came back I was very surprised to see that it was 4-1 for Federer :) I felt really relieved and it was only a matter of time and Federer became the winner of the fifth set.

The final result of the match Federer vs. Tsonga was 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3.

 

Tsonga played very well and I think Federer wasn't prepared playing aginst such a strong Tsonga. I mean, Tsonga hit a lot of aces and winners during the whole match. It was a nice match to watch, a real treat to the tennisfans. I'm just very glad that the 'Swiss endurance' finally paid off, because I still feel very sorry for Wawrinka. Hopefully Federer is going to meet Djokovic in the final. That would be a hell of a match, wouldn't it?

 

(Source of all the pictures is www.australianopen.com)

 

Happy Martin Luther King Day & A Terrific Blue Monday